Ken Paxton sues Dallas for gun bans at The Majestic, Fair Park Music Hall

DALLAS - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the city of Dallas for millions of dollars for not allowing licensed gun owners to carry their weapons inside the Majestic Theater and Fair Park's Music Hall.

What we know:

In two separate filings Thursday, Paxton claimed licensed gun owners were prevented from entering the two buildings while carrying their guns.

In each filing, Paxton accuses employees of those buildings of preventing entry to those carrying a gun. Both buildings have signs prohibiting the carry of a firearm inside the building while it is open to the public.

State law prohibits government bodies from prohibiting firearms in places owned or leased by government entities, unless otherwise prohibited.

Texas law establishes that schools and courtrooms are considered gun-free zones and allows others, such as amusement parks or educational institutions, to institute their own bans on firearms.

What they're saying:

"The law is clear. Cities like Dallas have no authority to override state statutes that enable license holders to lawfully carry their handguns and protect themselves from potential threats," Paxton said. "I will always do everything in my power to defend Texans’ gun rights from cities that would strip us of our legal rights."

By the numbers:

The law calls for a $1,500 penalty to be imposed against the city for the first day they violate the policy and $10,500 per day for each day after that.

Paxton is asking for $6.3 million in the Fair Park filing for violations beginning on Aug. 6, 2024, up through March 31, 2025. He is also asking for an additional $10,500 for each day beginning April 1 up to the date the signs saying firearms are prohibited are removed.

No specific amount is requested in the Majestic filing, just that the first day to begin the fines is Feb. 16, 2023.

State Fair of Texas lawsuit

The backstory:

This isn't the first time that Paxton has sued the city of Dallas for violating the state's carry laws.

In Aug. 2024, Paxton sued Dallas and the State Fair of Texas after guns were banned from the fair.

The city and the State Fair of Texas argued that because the fair was organized by a private nonprofit that leased the land from the city, then it could make its own policy decisions.

The 2024 policy change came in response to a 2023 shooting in the fair's food court that injured three people.

The ban was allowed to remain in place after the state Supreme Court agreed with a lower court ruling upholding the ban.

Senate Bill 1065

What's next:

State senators, earlier this month, heard testimony on a bill that would prevent places like the state fair from blocking entrance to licensed gun owners.

Texas Senate Bill 1065 aims to keep the State Fair of Texas from imposing a firearms ban.

If passed, the bill would allow license-to-carry holders to bring firearms to the Fair and other places where a contractor leases government property.

The bill advanced out of committee on April 14 and is set to be heard on the Senate floor Tuesday.

Opponents of the bill believe it would undermine the ability of the State Fair and other organizations leasing government property to keep events safe.